I joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, state Department of Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez, Tom Swan from the Connecticut Citizen Action Group and consumer advocates in a press conference on abusive debt collection practices in Connecticut.

According to a new report by the Alliance for a Just Society entitled, Unfair, Deceptive & Abusive: Debt Collectors Profit from Aggressive Tactics, debt collection companies in Connecticut are subjecting residents to deceptive and abusive collection tactics-- sometimes for debts those consumers don’t even owe. More than 26 percent of Connecticut adults with a credit file have a report of debt in collections, leaving a broad swath of state residents vulnerable to abusive collection tactics.

I'm concerned about the findings of this report. I'm proud to stand with Senator Blumenthal as we work to ensure that our consumer protections catch up to this fast evolving industry. In Connecticut, we will introduce and pass legislation cracking down on fraudulent and fly by night collectors. Our consumers deserve a fair and level playing field.

Top Five Companies With the Most Debt Collection Complaints from CT Residents